Synthetic resin container with metallic foil liner



F. M. HARRIS June 7, 19 66 SYNTHETIC RESIN CONTAINER WITH METALLIC FOIL LINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1964 FIGI FIGS

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SYNTHETIC RESIN CONTAINER WITH METALLIC FOIL LINER June 7, .1966

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1964 FIGIO INVENTOR.

FRANK M. HARRIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,254,811 SYNTHETIC RESIN CONTAINER WITH METALLIC FOIL LINER Frank M. Harris, Phoenix, Md., assignor to Owens-Illinois Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 336,284 9 Claims. (Cl. 222-541) This invention relates to synthetic resin containers and more particularly to a synthetic resin container having a metallic foil liner covering its .inner surface.

Containers formed from synthetic resin material have recently been widely accepted and used for packaging various materials. However, this use has been some- What restricted due to the fact that the known synthetic resin materials most desirable for forming the containers are permeable by some products, such as oils, which otherwise might be packaged in such containers. Such containers are very desirable for packaging products normally used and stored in areas where portions of the container are likely to come into contact with moisture which might cause deterioration of a container formed from other commonly used materials. As an example, spices normally used and stored in the kitchen are commonly packaged in containers formed from metals or a combination of fiber material and metal, both of which may be adversely affected by moisture which is frequently encountered in the kitchen. However, in the past it has not been practicable to package spices in the oil permeable synthetic resin containers because of the essential oils contained in the spices.

Numerous attempts have been made to produce a container formed from the more common, permeable, synthetic resins and applying a liner from another synthetic resin material which will resist permeation by the particular product to be packaged. However, these attempts have not been entirely satisfactory, particularly in packaging products for human consumption wherein even the slightest discoloration of the plastic container, resulting from oil permeation, is highly objectionable.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved synthetic'resin container which will resist permeation by various fluids.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a container formed from an oil permeable synthetic resin and having a liner formed frommetallic foil covering the inner surface of the container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a container formed from a substantially transparent synthetic resin material having an oil impermeable metallic foil liner continuously bonded to the inner surface of 'the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved synthetic resin container having an inner liner formed from metallic foil continuously covering its inner surface and extending over the open end thereof, and including means for removing that portion of the metallic foil liner which underlies the dispensing opening of a dispensing fitment.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved in a container such as a spice can molded from an oil permeable synthetic resin material such as polypropylene and having an open top and a bottom closed by an integrally formed end panel. An impermeable metallic foil liner is inserted into the container and continuously bonded the contents and the closure fitment.

The closure fitment employed to close the open end of the container is formed from an oil permeable synthetic resin material such as polypropylene, and is provided with a dispensing opening. Integrally formed hinged panels, such as a sifter panel and a solid closure panel, are provided to cover the dispensing opening, and a tear tape is provided to remove that portion of the metallic foil liner immediately underlying the dispensing opening in the closure fitment.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing certain parts in an alternate position;

' FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional view of the-container shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the container shown in FIG. 2 in which the liner has previously been opened;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away to show an alternate means for opening the container;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view further showing the means for opening the container disclosed in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 disclosing an alternate means for opening the foil liner;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an alternate embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a container showing an alternate construction of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1010 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of the invention shown in FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a container molded from a synthetic resin material into the general configuration commonly employed in the packaging and merchandising of spices, is generally referred to by the numeral 10, and includes a body portion 12 having sidev walls 14, 16 and an integrally formed bottom panel 18 recessed slightly from the bottom of body 12 as shown at 20. A groove 22 is formed around the inner periphery of body 12, adjacent the top thereof, in position to re. ceive and cooperate with a complementary bead 24 around the outer periphery of a closure fitment 26 to resiliently retain the fitment in position closing the container. Preferably, the synthetic resin material is a substantially transparent thermoplastic material such as polypropylene.

A metallic foil liner 30, preferably pre-formed into a bag having an open top, is inserted into the open end of body 12 and continuously bonded to the inner surface of walls 14, 16 and bottom 18. A suitable adhesive may be employed to bond liner 30 in place, or if the body portion is formed from a thermoplastic material, liner Patented June 7, 1966,

30 may be heat-sealed directly to the walls of the container without the use of adhesives.

Liner 30 has a portion 32 extending above the open end of body 12, as shown in FIG. 3, which may be folded and sealed, upon filling of the container, to form an oil impermeable barrier between the contents of the container and fitment 26. A tear tape 34 is incorporated in the folded top 36 of liner 3th to facilitate opening thereof when it is desired to remove the contents of the container.

The closure fitment 26 is formed from synthetic resin material and is provided with a central dispensing opening 40 which may be covered by an integrally formed hinged sifter panel 42 which, in turn, may be covered by an integrally formed hinged panel 44. A stacking ledge 46 is formed around the top surface of fitment 26 in position to be received in the recessed bottom of similar containers to facilitate stacking of the closed containers.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, when the body portion of the container is formed from a transparent material, designs such as trademarks or the like may be printed on the outer surface of the metallic foil liner 30 so that, when the liner is heat sealed to the inner surface of body 12, the designs will be visible from the exterior of the container. Thus, the markings of a conventional label may be printed directly onto the metallic foil liner and permanently aflixed to the interior of the body portion of the container where they cannot be inadvertently removed or damaged.

As an alternate to the tear tape 34 shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings for opening the folded top 36 of liner 30, the top 36 may be weakened by score line 38 around the periphery of central opening 40, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Top 36 may then be bonded to the undersurface of sifter panel 42, as illustrated at 50, so that, when sifter panel 42 is raised as shown in FIG. 6, top 36 will be ruptured along the score line 33. Portion 52 which has been broken away from top 36 may then be removed from sifter panel 42.

Another alternate construction is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein groove 22 is formed around the outer periphery of body 12 adjacent the top thereof, and ridge 24 is formed on the inner surface of a downwardly depending skirt 54 formed around the outer periphery of fitment 26. A separate panel 60 of metallic foil is bonded to and covers the inner surface of fitment 26, and liner 30 extends over the top of body 12 and downwardly over groove 22 in position to contact the panel 26, as at 62, to form an oil impermeable seal when fitment 26 is installed on the container. The portion 64 of panel 60 which underlies opening 40 of fitment 26 may be removed as described above, or alternately, may be removed by a suitable instrument such as a knife 66 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 wherein the dispensing opening of I fitment 26 extends over the entire open end of body 12. Sifter panel 42 is of sufiicient size to cover the dispensing opening and a relatively smaller closure panel 44 is provided to cover the sifter openings in panel 42. Suitable means such as tear tape 34 be provided to facilitate opening the liner, and integrally formed flexible pull tabs 66 may be provided to facilitate opening of panels 42 and 44.

While I have disclosed and illustrated preferred embodiments of my invention, I wish it understood that I do not intend to be restricted solely thereto, but that I do intend to cover all embodiments thereof which would be apparent to one skilled in the art and which come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A container formed from an oil permeable thermoplastic synthetic resin material, said container comprising an integrally molded hollow body portion having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length said body portion having one end open and the other end closed by an integrally formed end panel, a liner of oil iimpermeable metallic foil bonded in direct contact by heat sealing to the inner surface of said container, said liner covering and forming an oil impermeable barrier for said inner surface and a removable closure fitment mounted on said open end for closing said container.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic material is substantially transparent whereby designs carried on the outer surface of said metallic foil liner are visible through the walls of said container.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said metallic foil liner extends over the open end of said hollow body portion to form an oil impermeable barrier between the interior of said container and said closure fitment.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said closure fitment includes means around its outer periphery for engaging the side walls of said body portion to resiliently retain said fitment on said container, a discharge opening in said fitment providing means for discharging material packaged in said container, and closure means hingedly mounted on said fitment for closing said discharge opening.

5. A container formed from an oil permeable synthetic resin material comprising a hollow body portion having one endv open and the other end closed by an integrally formed end panel, a liner of oil impermeable metallic foil bonded to and covering the inner surface of said container, a closure fitment mounted on said open end for closing said container, said metallic foil liner extending over the open end of said hollow body portion to form an oil impermeable barrier between the interior of said container and said closure fitment, a discharge opening in said closure fitment providing means for discharging material packaged in said container, closure means hingedly mounted on said fitment for closing discharge opening, and means for removing that portion of said metallic foil liner which underlies said discharge opening in said fitment.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said liner is weakened around the periphery of said discharge opening and said portion of said liner underlying said discharge opening is bonded to said closure means whereby said underlying portion of said liner is automatically removed upon opening said hinged closure.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said synthetic resin material is a substantially transparent thermoplastic material whereby designs carried on the outer surface of said metallic foil liner are visible through the walls of said container.

8. A container molded from a synthetic resin material comprising a hollow body portion having a substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length, said body portion having one end open and the other closed by an integrally formed end panel, an oil impermeable metallic foil liner bonded to the interior surface of said container, said liner being in the form of a bag having an open top extending outwardly over and covering the edge of the open end of said container, and a closure fitment formed from a synthetic resin material and having a metallic foil liner covering its inner surface mounted on said open end for closing said container, said metallic foil liner on said closure fitment engaging and forming a metal-to-metal seal with said outwardly extending portion of said container liner when said fitment is installed on said container.

9. A container formed from a synthetic resin material comprising a hollow body portion having one end open and the other end closed by an integrally formed end panel, a metallic foil liner continuously bonded to the inner surface of said container, a fitment formed from a synthetic resin material for closing the open end of said container, means resiliently retaining said fitment on said container, said metallic foil liner forming a barrier be tween the inner surface of said fitment and the interior of said container when said fitment is in position closing said container, a dispensing opening in said fitment, a hingedly mounted sifter panel for covering said dispensing opening, a hingedly mounted closure panel for covering said Sifter panel, and means for removing a portion of said liner adjacent said dispensing opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,652,283 9/1953 Droop 222-565 X Kuchenbecker 229-14 Tupper 222-556 X Jacke 229-14 Barr 222-556 X Wadlinger et al. 222-565 X Howe 222-565 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

1/1962 Larson 222-189 10 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER FORMED FROM AN OIL PERMEABLE THERMOPLASTIC SYNTHETIC RESIN MATERIAL, SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING AN INTEGRALLY MOLDED HOLLOW BODY PORTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CROSS-SECTION THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH SAID BODY PORTION HAVING ONE END OPEN AND THE OTHER END CLOSED BY AN INTEGRALLY FORMED END PANEL, A LINER OF OIL IMPERMEABLE METALLIC FOIL BONDED IN DIRECT CONTACT BY HEAT SEALING TO THE INER SURFACE OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID LINER COVERING AND FORMING AN OIL IMPERMEABLE BARRIER FOR SAID INNER SURFACE AND A REMOVABLE CLOSURE FITMENT MOUNTED ON SAID OPEN END FOR CLOSING SAID CONTAINER. 